Over the weekend, I retook the Myers-Briggs test as it had been a good ten years, at least, since the first time I took it. Apparently I haven't changed much. I was hoping that maybe I had grown out of the ISTJ phase.....but no such luck.
I read up on my ISTJ self and it is truly scary how exactly this defines me. According to one book, ISTJs are, with their strong sense of duty and responsibility, the rocks of society. We are dependable, trustworthy; we believe in honor and our word is our bond. We are detail-oriented and responsible to a fault. In fact, we grow impatient with and cannot understand irresponsibilty or procrastination. We do our tasks efficiently and without flare, making them sometimes go unseen and unappreciated. We are often promoted because of these well-done tasks, but we generally do not seek leadership positions. Oh, yes, and we're often pessimistic and fatalistic.
In relationships, ISTJs (also referred to as Inspectors - ugh) are most compatible with Artisans (I forgot their letters). However, though we're often attracted to such unruly, passionate, unorganized people, the relationship can easily turn into a parent-child relationship instead of an adult-adult relationship. ISTJs, because of our sense of duty, will never quit a relationship and will even seek to rehabilitate our partners should they suffer from addictions or destructive habits.
Sounds absolutely lovely, huh? It is funny discussing this with my parents. My dad is an ESTJ (or a Supervisor) and we're continually butting heads. Both of us are always coming up with our own more efficient ways of doing things. My mom is an INFJ (or a Counselor) and she is always looking to the future, thinking of grand plans, seeking harmony both at home and work.
In some ways, this test is comforting as it explains some things I consider flaws. I can easily say that "yes, I'm impatient but what else do you expect from an ISTJ?" I can easily see how my personality attracted a boyfriend - or two - and why the relationships developed - and ended - as they did.
At the end of the day, the ISTJ is not the life of the party. In fact, the ISTJ probably went home early to do laundry. The thing that makes us attractive to our mates is that responsibility - we'll take the reigns of a household and pay the bills on time and get the kids to school on time. We cannot resist being responsible. Yes, basically, I'm just plain boring. Why would anyone want to be around someone who is, by nature, fatalistic and pessimistic? Honestly, I have no idea. My mom deals with two such people, so maybe there's a bit of hope....
1 comment:
Hi friend! I'm also an ISTJ and although I can definitely identify with the dreadfulness of the truth sometimes (LOL, it's really not that funny:) I can also be well encouraged by the Truth that God offers in His Word. Don't get me wrong, I spend much of my days wondering why I was made the way I am, but when I turn to the Bible I can't help but find that God says He has made me "fearfully and wonderfully" and, my dear friend, it (life) all truly sucks without a sure beginning, end and purpose. But, here's a kicker, I think Paul (the dude that wrote like most of the New Testament) was at least an introvert and thinker and he says in Philippians that his treasure is in Heaven and he knows that "to live is Christ and to die is gain." That means to endure in this lifetime is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ because when He came to this earth, He suffered each day in a broken and sinful world as He stood for righteousness, justice, and love and then died to absorb the wrath of God so that we wouldn’t have to. And to die is gain, not in the sense of some weird suicide, but when God takes our last breath, those who have accepted Christ as the propitiation (the payment for their sin) eternally have undivided relationship with our beloved Creator and our beloved Savior. The Bible says also that a Christian’s home is not on this earth, but our citizenship is in Heaven. I don’t believe anyone’s home is in this dreadful, fallen earth, but that we were created for relationship with the one who gave us life. He created the earth, but then sinned entered and now relationship with God is broken without Christ. And so, Heaven isn’t a cloudy, lazy spot in the sky for us, it is actually where we meet our God face to face and are released from the world that follows its own way. So I think ISTJs specifically have an advantage in this world, well if they know Christ, in knowing how savory and sweet our Savior is and being able to treasure Heaven and Christ more than some others who still love the ways of this world. Anywho, so I don’t know if you’ve accepted Christ, but I hope so. And I can relate with you on many points, God knit us together with a similar brain pattern:) But know that you don’t have to be someone else. God made you just the way you are and He delights in how your brain works and he delights in how mine does too. And the more we seek to know our God, the more we understand who we are and the more God refines out the crap and brings luster to who we are redeemed in His son. And might I add, that even for us pessimists, God delights in blessing us and sitting us down before His throne only to say thank you, thank you and thank you. So, pessimistic and fatalistic? Sure. But also, very deeply thoughtful, sensitive, and necessary. Be who you are in Christ. When you live for an audience of One, He takes care of the rest. And He blesses literally beyond belief. So God bless! (Sorry I didn’t organize better:)
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